“My fighters are my fighters. I think it’s good for the sport. Even Dana (White) would admit it’s good for the sport to have other organizations around, so I don’t foresee any problems.”

Jackson, who joins Couture, Frank Shamrock and Joe Warren as coaches on Bellator’s new reality show “Fight Master”, hasn’t always been in the good graces of White, who has frequently criticized his style. And this week’s announcement came days after the UFC president slammed Couture for joining the cast.

White didn’t have the same public rebuke for Jackson, but the UFC executive is notoriously uncharitable to those with significant involvement in rival promotions.

And though Jackson was cast by Spike TV, which will air the reality show, his new gig brings him closer to Bellator.

Jackson, who coaches dozens of UFC and Bellator athletes with partner Mike Winkeljohn, might have called White to make sure there wouldn’t be any hard feelings. But the trainer said he had to keep quiet so as not to leak news of the project, which begins filming this weekend in New Orleans.

Jackson will lead four welterweight hopefuls fighting to win a spot in the promotion’s fall tournament. While the process will be filmed, the trainer doesn’t think his role is that different from what he already does.

“The important thing is you can help as many people as you can help,” he said. “This gives all of us, really, an opportunity to help these young fighters, up-and-coming, that work hard and deserve to have a place to showcase their skills. It’s great that they have this place.”

For more on Bellator’s upcoming schedule, stay tuned to the MMA Rumors section of the site.

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